When a trainer takes a group of youths or amateurs to a big show, very little time is spent in the hotel room, so bunking together is a painless way to save money, says AQHA Professional Horsewoman Nancy Cahill. “We’re very communal.”
That’s a common tactic of many budget-conscious horse owners, as is economizing on the food budget.
Liz Carpenter of Nashville, Tennessee, cuts costs by bringing her own grub. “We bring sausage and crackers and granola bars,” she says. Her advice for others showing on a budget? “Buy peanut butter and jelly.”
She also saves money by hauling to one-day shows within a reasonable driving distance. She and a friend once drove two and a half hours to a show in Alabama, where they were able to earn six AQHA points without a hotel bill and stall rent.
“That was the most fun because we had no stall fees, and it was just ‘Let’s go!’ ”
Get the most bang for your showing buck by choosing shows with big classes. If you can get six or seven AQHA points by winning a class, instead of a half-point, it’s much more worthwhile.
And many of Liz’s shows are compressed into a short time frame. “Then you have three or four months of paychecks that aren’t dissipating.”
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